Shape Up or Ship Out
by silverwritinggoddess
Summary: This begins from where "Letting Go" began. Edward dumps Bella and gets told off in the process. He later discovers that she had left Washington for a whole new life, as he wanted, only to find she has found a new love with someone rather unexpected. Out of all the vampires in the world she could have chosen, it had to be Peter. EXTENDED.
1. Chapter 1

Edward's side of the story:

Edward felt his heart break when those dreaded words passed his lips. Bella was such a beautiful human girl but she deserved so much more than a monster like him. Besides, he was leaving to protect her. Victoria would come after him and she would no longer bother the sweet creature in front of him. He managed to maintain a cold and stony face so he wouldn't reveal his true feelings. He looked at his singer very closely. Shock and confusion clouded her face before a new emotion crossed her face, an emotion that he would not have expected from the one woman that loved him…scorn.

The vampire felt his entire being shatter. He turned away quickly so Bella wouldn't see his despair. However, he didn't get very far when he heard her say:

"Good riddance. You're nothing but a piece of garbage."

The insult reached his ears and Edward stopped in his tracks. He heard Bella turn away and start back to her house. He knew that he deserved her contempt, but her reaction was quite a surprise. He had expected her to cry and beg for him to stay, but this was NOT what he had expected out of her at all. It was quite frustrating for him to not be able to read her thoughts, even though it was a safe bet that she was bashing him for his decisions. Edward quickly started to follow Bella, ensuring that she got back to her house safely. It was the least he could do.

"It's time to get away from it all." Bella said.

Edward wondered what she meant by that.

Edward spent time alone while the rest of the family was in Denali, staying with a coven there. All he could think about was two things: Victoria and Bella. He left Bella behind in order to protect her from Victoria. In fact, he was trying his hand at tracking her and, so far, he ran into several false trails. It did relieve him, however, that the red-headed wench was out here and not hunting Bella. That was his main concern.

(Bella…)

He could almost smell her lovely and intoxicating scent. Her beautiful image made him feel…alive. The sight brought him some happiness until he remembered the scorn and contempt that came from her lips. Edward stopped. He couldn't stand the fact that she hated him, but he forced himself to live with it. He had no choice if he wanted to keep her safe, even if it meant bearing her hatred. He punched a nearby tree. The force of his punch left an indentation in the bark. That was just another reminder of his monstrosity.

Suddenly, Edward's cell phone started to ring. He didn't need to look to see who it was. Alice was always trying to get him to return to Denali. He wasn't the only one that was suffering from Bella's loss. His dear sweet sister was suffering, too, and it didn't help her that he had forbid her from looking into Bella's future. Emmett was no longer his goofy self and Jasper was completely loathing himself for losing control. Rosalie…well, she was being Rosalie. Carlisle and Esme were deeply affected, too.

(It was necessary to keep her alive.) Edward tried to convince himself.

He finally answered the phone.

"Yes, Alice?"

"Finally!" Her fairy-like voice exclaimed. "You really need to come home, dear brother. Everyone misses you."

"Why would they want me there? I'm dragging everyone down."

"We know that you did it to protect her, Edward."

"Something tells me that you had a reason to call me."

"Right. Victoria is building an army…"

That was all Edward needed to hear.

The Cullens returned to Forks without hesitation. Alice was anxious to see if her dear friend was alright. Her vision of Bella had disappeared because of the damned wolf pack. Speaking of the wolf pack, they had managed to destroy part of Victoria's army, but if the Cullens hadn't arrived in a timely fashion, the pack would have been annihilated. Edward had immediately set his sights on the red-headed witch. She was quick and her special ability of evasion made it hard for anyone to catch her. However, the golden-eyed vampire refused to give up the hunt. Eventually, her head was torn off of her shoulders and went tumbling into the forest. The wolf pack and the vampires, under an uneasy and temporary alliance, gathered up all of the destroyed vampires and placed them in a pile and burned them.

The wolf pack left without a thank you, save one russet-colored wolf, which briefly disappeared into the woods. Edward flinched as he sifted through the wolf's mind. There were so many images of his beautiful Bella. There was one memory, though, that caught his interest and it terrified him. Jacob re-emerged from the woods and stomped angrily towards Cullens. He needed to know where his friend had disappeared to.

"What did you do to Bella?" He demanded.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.

"I went to her house recently and Charlie said she moved out of state. What the hell did you do to her?"

Edward sighed sadly as he explained his tale. Jacob listened, releasing a low growl every now and then, prompting the rest of the Cullens to crouch defensively to protect their son and brother. Reluctantly, though, Jacob had to admit that he hadn't been of any help either and had been neglecting her as well. He also related of the incident that happened down at the reservation when Bella had slapped Paul. He had lost control and phased into a wolf in front of her. That was when he made his choice (with a little help from Sam, of course).

"It was to protect her from being hurt." He concluded.

"We understand." Carlisle replied gently.

"Where could she have gone?" Esme asked tearfully.

Jacob shrugged. Bella never told him that she was moving out of the state so he had no clue as to where she could be and Charlie had never said anything either, though he didn't ask.

"Well," Alice said. "Charlie tells me Bella moved to Texas."

"Texas?" Emmett asked. "Why'd she go there?"

"Apparently they have one of the best English literature programs down there."

Edward gave a brief smile, remembering that Bella loved literature and that choosing such a major was something that she would go for, even though going to college hadn't been on the map. He sighed. She had been so bent on becoming a vampire that she through all of the human things by the wayside. Jasper looked at his brother and smirked at him before turning back to his wife. It was nice to have his brother back. Emmett noticed too and tried to get him into a headlock. Even Rosalie had to grin.

"Alright, you two." Esme chided, smiling.

"So," Jasper said. "What's the plan?"

"Like you need to ask." Alice said with a grin.

Edward saw his sister's vision of going to Texas. He was taught never to bet against Alice and just nodded. The plan was settled. They would go to Texas and see Bella and, hopefully, bring her back into the family. It was just a matter of time. It's only been a couple of months since they left Forks, but it would be about a year before they would actually lay eyes on the brunette. The Fall semester was still a ways away.

"Edward." Alice called.

"Hm?"

"This is a second chance for all of us. I really don't want to mess this up."

Alice sounded fearful and unsure. This was definitely unlike his sister, but he couldn't blame her. They had all messed up by abandoning the most precious person to have entered their immortal lives. They had to shape up or ship out.


	2. Chapter 2

The Cullens checked every school in Texas in which Bella might have enrolled in. After hacking numerous databases, they finally located their sister/lover in College Station, Texas, at Texas A&M. They were all still very surprised that she would travel so far away from Washington, but Edward realized that she had left that state to get away from everything, from all of the memories and the pain that she suffered. That was when he remembered something. It went back to that terrible day that he had left her in the woods when she had muttered something to herself.

 _So that was what she meant._ Edward thought, remembering her last statement.

He sighed sadly, knowing that he had caused her to leave, before he tried to cheer himself up, which Jasper appreciated. Jasper had been bogged down by his brother's sorrow that he often had to leave just to get some space for himself to breathe so to speak. Edward, however, still couldn't help but feel very guilty about his actions. He had left to protect her but, he left her in the care of damned werewolves and that red-headed bitch-who was eliminated eventually. Of course, he wasn't the only one who had felt guilty. Jacob had admitted that he hadn't treated her kindly but he, too, had a good reason of separating himself from her. Unfortunately, though, it cost him his friendship with Bella. Edward actually felt bad for him, despite the animosity between the two. If it wasn't for that animosity, the two could have been close, like brothers because they had a common goal...to protect Bella. As it stood, though, such an idea would never come to be.

Another thing that depressed him was that when he went back to Bella's room and didn't find her there, he went to the one floorboard that he had hidden their memories of their time together, only to find the pictures burnt to ashes. Bella had somehow found them and, clearly, out of anger, she destroyed them and left them there so that he could find them. It was meant as a personal message to him, he thought. She wanted him to remain out of her life so she could move on with her life. That was what he wanted for her, but it still hurt that she destroyed all of the happy memories that they shared together. He knew that he had angered her and that anger was what had made her go her own way. Alice had shown Edward that they were to remain a family, but without Bella. She was no longer part of their future.

 _No..._

Edward needed to get out of the house fast so he wouldn't overwhelm Jasper with his depressing emotions. He tried to convince himself that he could manage himself without Bella and that, with time, he would heal from his loneliness and depression. Nothing he tried did the trick. Back when his family had relocated to Denali, he tried to hook up with Tanya but it felt like a betrayal to Bella and he broke the relationship off as soon as it started. He tortured himself by trying to look for girls that looked like Bella. It had pacified him for a little while, but it eventually drove him mad and he ran off into the wilderness. His sister, Alice, had been right about him. He WAS a masochist. He seemed to love punishing himself because that was what he had done everyday since he left her.

 _There's no other choice._ He thought.

The eternal seventeen-year-old decided that he would get down on his knees and beg for her forgiveness. He didn't expect to be forgiven, much less spoken to. After seeing what was left of their memories in the box that he had hidden, he was unsure if she even wanted to see him. Well, he would go down to Texas anyway and simply check up on her. He would work on how he would approach her later. For now, he just wanted to travel to Texas and see her lovely face again.

"Never bet against me, Edward." Alice said with a smug look on her face.

Edward smiled at his sister. Even though he doubted that he and Bella would get back together, he wanted to make amends and part as friends at the very least. He looked over at Rosalie, but she said nothing. She had always been jealous of Bella, but she seemed to change her tune after seeing her brother miserable. She did hope that Bella would reconcile with Edward, but she also understood that the brunette wanted to get on with her life. She didn't want to deal with the supernatural anymore after she heard that her smelly friend gave her the heave-ho as well. Rosalie would understand whatever choice Bella would make-even though the hope of that she remained human was still there (which was looking very likely to happen).

Emmett tackled his brother and got him into a headlock. The two wrestled and played around like ordinary brothers. It cheered them all up, Esme and Carlisle included. Everyone was looking forward to the trip that was to begin in several days, according to Alice. She had carefully planned the trip based on what the weather would be for the coming week. For now, everyone would just enjoy the lightened mood that hadn't been felt for a long time.

Edward took it upon himself to focus on his next move. He looked over Bella's schedule, which was rather simple to learn and memorize, and did some research on when and where to enroll for classes. When one class was filled, he managed to get an override for the class. This particular class was what he wanted. Bella enjoyed Victorian Literature and, thus, he enrolled for the course. Alice said that she would be there, even though he instinctively knew that she would pick such a class. He remembered her always reading 'Wuthering Heights' and other various works. She always had her nose buried in that book. It was a very pleasant thought. He knew that when the time came to come face to face with her, he would have to move very slowly. He remembered her angry words and vow to move away from all of the memories. He couldn't blame her. He wouldn't want to be in a place where the surroundings brought back good and happy memories while he suffered from a broken heart. He sighed.

"Keep it down, Edward." Jasper complained. "You're bringing ME down."

"Sorry. I'll tone it down."

Edward decided to refocus on the happier moments that he had with Bella, blocking out the thoughts of his siblings and all of the errant thoughts that he heard on the road. Things were just much easier to handle things that way, instead of being a brooding vampire. He was so good at being that kind of a vampire. He let his thoughts go blank and cut his emotions off for the time being, which surprised Jasper.

"We'll begin class in the next couple of months." Alice said.

"Good."

She predicted that the weather would be cloudy but fair, making it easy for them to walk among the rest of the human population. Edward knew that it would be like Forks High School all over again. Humans would fawn over their beauty and try to approach them, but, again, they would just isolate themselves from the rest of the world. It would be like that until they located Bella.

* * *

 _Fall..._

Edward was sitting at the back of the Victorian Novel class that Bella was registered for. It was much easier for him to scout the classroom that way, since it was a rather large class, plus it made him less noticeable that way. He didn't need any more attention brought to himself. Too many females had approached him at one time, most of them sorority girls just looking for a good lay. He wouldn't have minded if one of them had been Bella. He had done her wrong and he intended to make things up to her in ways that he long denied himself from doing. He would be her slave. If she desired to become a vampire, he would give it to her without hesitation. He had suffered massive pain and sorrow after separating himself from her and that had been his biggest regret. He thought he was doing her a service by leaving, thinking it would protect her that way but it did nothing except bring pain and misery.

Suddenly, a familiar brunette entered the lecture hall and Edward was stunned by the beauty before him. Her brown hair seemed darker and her face was twice as angelic as he remembered. She had a slender frame that brought a lot attention, much to his chagrin. She was far more beautiful (not that she hadn't been in the beginning) than before and far more graceful than she had been. He loved how she moved, though he mourned for her clumsiness. Her clumsiness had allowed him to be there and catch her. His happiness of seeing his Bella again was cut short when he saw her hug a man of twenty-five. He was good-looking guy with blonde hair. Quite frankly, this guy looked like an older version of Mike Newton and Edward wasn't really surprised that he actually was related to that irritating human boy. However, this Newton character in front of him was far more mature than his cousin (from what Edward had found in his thoughts). He was well-suited for Bella, he had to admit, but he wanted her just as much as the Newton guy wanted her.

 _I'm not going down without a fight._ Edward thought.

 _You go for it, brother._ Alice said.

The young vampire smiled at his sister's encouragement. He would counter Bella before she left at the end of the lecture.


	3. Chapter 3

Edward's POV

Bella is very beautiful and I should have known that she would have moved on. It was what I had wanted, right? Yes, but now I really want her back. I don't really understand why, considering I had broken her heart in the cruelest way possible. Initially, I thought it was because I was mated to her. Perhaps at one point I was but managed to break that special bond with her. Anything is possible. Plus, it has been how many months since we left? I don't know anymore. Doesn't really matter now. It's been almost a year now (if you count the summer months that they haven't been on campus).

 _Poor Bella. I guess she's really done with me._

I shake my head. I need to keep focused. If I'm going to try to regain her love and trust, I'm definitely going to need a very good grip on reality and try not to dwell on the past. Jasper snorts but he doesn't say a word, which I appreciate very much. I need to try to get back on peaceful terms with Bella and if I don't regain her love, I will settle for her friendship. I would much rather have her friendship rather than having her ignore me entirely, even though I deserve everything that comes to me. Throughout the lecture, my sights were on her and the Newton clone. They appeared to be rather fond of each other that it made me rather envious. I decide that I would take lessons from the Newton clone since he was nothing more than a gentleman towards her. He didn't have that lost puppy dog look that his cousin, Mike, had. I'm kind of glad that she found someone who could treat her right.

 _Or am I?_

When class ended, I was bound and determined to intercept Bella before she left. Unfortunately, she spotted me before I could get to her and she dashed out with the Newton clone right behind her, wondering what was wrong and what was going on. I heard her promise him that she would explain the situation later, but that she had to get out first and quickly. I was about to follow the two of them before several girls intercepting me. I growled without meaning to, which scared them away. Good riddance to them. They deserved it now that I lost Bella again. Jasper cools me down.

 _You still have another chance, Edward._ Alice thought to me. _Don't despair._

I need to get my act together and fast. Alice told me that Bella and the Newton clone would be at the library studying for an upcoming exam in one of their English classes. My sister tells me that I could go there under the pretense of finding research books. I agree to it but I'm rather nervous to tell you the truth. I know that she won't accept me right off the bat. Maybe she never will. I have a lot of things to atone for. My family have a lot of things to atone for as well, even though I am the one who orchestrated the entire separation from Bella. Well, I have to do it sooner or later. At least I would have approached her. I'm more than willing to bear her anger. It would be the first step to reconciliation. Even if she doesn't forgive me, at least I will know how she truly feels about me. I will always watch over her, even if it is at a distance. I will do better to protect her and make up for my failing.

* * *

Bella's POV

I cannot believe that I just saw him. I thought I was crazy that I had to do a double take, but there he was in class. I'm surprised that he actually came to Texas considering that this place was the sunniest places that I've ever been to-save Phoenix, Arizona, of course. I thought I was finished with him but the past was clearly not going to stay where it belonged, which means I have no other choice but to face my past. I have to face Edward again. I feel no romantic love in my heart for him anymore. It all went flying out of the window when he broke my heart and said the horrible words that he had said. There's nothing. Not even a twinge of lingering love. I hate to sound so cruel but I'm glad that I don't feel anything for him anymore. I have another man in my life and he is something special. When I say special, I don't mean on an intimate level.

My roommate, Nate, is nothing like his cousin. He is far from the clingy puppy dog that Mike was. He was patient with me when we first started to date because I was still reeling from my last relationship. Once I opened up, our relationship deepened and solidified before we suddenly called off our relationship. I'm not exactly sure what caused us to split. Incompatibility, I suppose, but he and I are still very good friends. Anyway, I guess I should tell you what Nate does for a living. He currently worked for his Marine father in a tackle and bait shop part-time and he also worked in the college bookstore on campus part-time as well. He is twenty-five years old and tall and blonde, much like Mike.

 _I really should stop comparing him to Mike._

I have to convince myself that his appearance is good. I need closure and if Edward's presence here is a sign of that closure then I would have to face him sooner or later. I would have to face not only him, but his entire family as well. They all left me so I needed to face them too and tell them how I really felt when they left. It would definitely be the closure that would be needed. It would hurt, but it was necessary. I sigh. This is all too much but I can't back down. For now, I have to explain to Nate about what had prompted me to drag him out of class like I did and then make another stop to another special guy in my life. He is definitely something special...and his name is Peter.


	4. Chapter 4

Alice's POV

I sigh as the vision of Bella disappears into oblivion. There is still no change in the future. My brother deserves to be happy, even though he did say some pretty harsh things to her. It was for her own protection, but look where that got us. Instead of protecting her, though, we did the complete opposite by leaving her with a sadistic red-head with a need for revenge. Thankfully, the bitch, Victoria, was destroyed, like she should have been in the beginning and was now burning in Hell with her mate, James. The very thought of him makes me feel cold and hollow inside since he was so bent on destroying Bella for the fun of it. Now that most major threats have been removed, the future I continue to see is relatively calm in comparison of the past year. No recent visits from the Volturi, thank god, and I hope there are no such visits in the future. That would be the last thing that we would need at the moment.

I still hold onto the hope that Bella will at least forgive Edward and the rest of us, of course. I know she was very angry with us and that she wanted nothing more to do with us. I saw the entire encounter between the two through my visions and heard the words exchanged. I knew that she would eventually find happiness elsewhere, which was great and all but it left a very empty feeling in my heart. We wouldn't be as close as we used to be. She would no longer feel that sense of family that she had with us. Who could blame her? She felt betrayed by us all. I miss my sister very much. I am still very sad that she won't become one of us. Rosalie, in her infinite wisdom, thought that was for the best. I understand her reasoning because her humanity had been stripped away from her, despite the fact that it was to save her life so to speak. There are so many human things that Rosalie wishes to experience but she can't. I can tell, though, that Rosalie isn't herself either. She hasn't been herself since we left Forks. Perhaps she did feel something for Bella, but she didn't show it. Jasper said she did, so I'm glad that she felt bad (not that I was pleased that she was feeling guilty, mind you) too. It meant that she did feel something deep down inside.

A vision suddenly comes on and I'm sucked into a confrontation between Edward and Bella. It appears that she had initiated the entire meeting. Her boyfriend, Nate or whatever his name was, is somewhere nearby. For what purpose, I can't say. Maybe he was there just so she didn't feel alone with Edward. My cold, dead heart broke. Once upon a time, those two were so much in love that it seemed like it would never be destroyed. The bond between them was so powerful that I thought it would last. Hell, I saw a vision in which Bella would become one of us...until Edward broke things off with her. It had been to protect her, but look what happened. The future changed completely. Edward hadn't intended for this future to happen. It was Bella's decision. I couldn't fault her for it, though. I never did. She just had too many shocks in her young life and she just got fed up with it.

"What is it?" Carlisle's voice asked. "A vision?"

"Yes."

Just as I'm about to describe the vision in question, it changes entirely. Bella is no longer with Nate in this vision. In fact, she's with another vampire! Oh, Bella. Your strange luck with the vampire world continues even after you left Forks. It's amazing. I was hoping that her departure from Forks meant no more encounters of the evil vampire type but I should have known better. As for the evil vampire in question...well, he's not so evil. My vision reveals a vampire that my entire family is familiar with.

"Peter?" Edwards says.

I can feel Jasper's eyes on me all of the sudden. Peter is a very good friend of Jasper's so to hear his name come up is not entirely unexpected since this is Peter's home state, so to speak. Peter had once helped Jasper escape his life as a general of newborn vampires. Jasper had used to live with him before he took a hike. Really, now. This vision is rather interesting. Of all vampires in the world she could have chosen from, it had to be Peter. Peter just so happens to feed on human blood.

"What the fuck, Bella?"

"Emmett, language!" Esme scolds him.

The vision goes on to reveal a very special relationship has formed between Peter and Bella but who needs to know that right now? Edward is finally coming to his senses after his depression. For a while, he was so depressed that he was contemplating suicide by going to the Volturi. He made it that far but Carlisle and I managed to talk him out of it. Unfortunately, Aro found out about Bella. Aro's ability is similar to Edward's but it's limited to a single touch. He has to come into contact with someone in order to read their minds. He gave us a warning that if Bella is not turned then she would have to die.

So I'm hoping I see a vision in which Bella becomes a vampire via Peter.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So I tried to find out more about our American nomad Peter...like his physical attributes. I looked on the internet to see if I could find anything and I looked in the book as well...nothing. Unless you guys have found something, I think I'm definitely going to have fun making up what Peter looks like! Also, according to the book, he doesn't have any abilities. Well, I'm going to fix that, too. :D Enjoy!

All of my earlier chapters have been updated with changes and corrections! Thank you to Kochabilka and 1tinac for catching discrepancies and other plot holes that I had. Thank you again to Kochabilka for sending me information on Peter. I would have been completely lost without that info! F*** Wal-Mart! XD

* * *

Alice's POV

I can see Peter and Bella, who is still human, I might add, together in this vision and they look so good together. I hate to say that in front of Edward but I can't help it. This might not be the future that we had all hoped for but Bella is happy...her happiness is what I care about. In this vision, they are simply enjoying the beauty of a clear, cool night, complete with a sky filled with stars and a full moon as they sit in an open field. Peter might feed from humans but he's a good guy all around. According to Jasper, it was during the war Peter didn't agree with the execution of newborns once they outlived their usefulness. He was so disgusted by this act that he disappeared with Jasper. After a while, Jasper got so depressed that he cut loose from his new found coven and disappeared and you should know the rest of the story.

"I'm sorry, Edward."

I don't have to be a mind reader that this whole thing bothers him, especially since Peter drinks human blood. I won't be surprised if Edward decides to confront Peter but he would have to go through Jasper, though. I look over at the golden boy and he simply just cocks an eyebrow at me. Thankfully, he's not going to be stupid this time around. I don't really need a vision I can't say that he's not stupid, though. He's done plenty of stupid things over the many years of his immortal life. Edward grunts.

"Thank you for that, Alice."

"You're welcome."

The encounter between Edward and Bella has yet to happen but it will be soon. This will be important to Bella and Peter becoming much closer and, if they already haven't, become mates. I've yet to have a vision in where she becomes a vampire, though. Maybe she has changed and quit hoping to become a vampire, I don't know. I can't say that I blame her if she doesn't want to become one. From what we all have seen of her, she has grown up and has become quite a young lady. I don't approve of her roommate, since he is a guy, but she's made her own choice. She's getting out on her own without anyone's help. Of course, we'll always be here for her and watching her back, even if she doesn't want us in her life anymore.

"So when can we see her?" Emmett asks.

According to Edward, Bella saw him in class and dashed off. She's probably already figured out that all of us are here by now. I don't see how it would hurt anything by meeting her. It's just got to be one by one, though. If we all approached her at once, she's going to make a break for it again and we don't want that. She would be overwhelmed. So, as a family, we decided that we would simply bump into her at school. We all have night classes, except for one, on our schedules. Bella has one night class a day so at least one of us will see to it that she gets back to her dorm safely. Victoria might be gone but the chances of getting a visit from another human-drinker (that's not Peter, mind you) are still pretty good and that doesn't factor in Bella's dumb luck, either. Plus, there's still a chance about the Volturi coming to check on Bella, too. I'm not going to worry about that, now...unless I get a vision.

"You've never been wrong before, Alice." Edward says to my racing thoughts.

Ah well. It'll happen when it happens (save for the Volturi's visit). It's important but not really all that critical. For now, we have to decide who gets to see Bella tomorrow and it's going to be me, hands down! Then it's going to be Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Jasper...in that precise order.

* * *

Bella's POV

So I explained what happened to Nate and he seems to understand. I didn't tell him the full story, mind you, because vampires are supposed to be a myth. Anyway, I explained to my roommate that I saw an ex-boyfriend in one of my classes and that I didn't want to see him. He had started to come near me so that was why I dashed out of the classroom. I just didn't want the stress of dealing with him at the moment...or the rest of his family. It's more than likely that the rest of the family has followed but I don't say this out loud.

"Has he hurt you?"

"Not physically, if that's what you mean."

I repeat the horrible words that were told to me. Surprisingly, they're not very painful to repeat. That means I've finally learned to move on and get over Edward. It's a good feeling too. That means I'm free of him and free to live my life as I wish to live it. Come to think of it, during my time with him, there were a lot of things that have been done against my will and that fateful birthday party is a prime example. If they had just listened to me, maybe Edward and I would still be together. Then again, I would be that same pathetic girl that would allow herself to get walked on all the time. Edward often made decisions for me when it came to my safety or what he thought would be in my best interest.

 _I'm glad we're not together anymore. I don't think I could ever take that kind of crap._

Nate sees me off at the student union before he disappears for a club meeting and I'm on my way to see the other special guy in my life. He keeps to himself in one of the student apartments nearby. Whenever he's not traveling around or out hunting, the student apartment is his place to crash at and his door is always open to me. Peter is definitely one of those types of characters that's worth keeping around...even if he does have a preference to human blood. Yes, he is a vampire. I can almost hear Edward and Alice admonishing me for being so reckless.

I like Peter. He tells things like it is and doesn't walk on eggshells when he's around me. He treats me like a lady and as a respected individual who is capable of making her own decisions and I like it when he talks with that southern drawl of his. Here's an interesting fact about this particular vampire. He can control his venom. So he can feed on someone and not have to worry about changing them. I know because I let him feed on me on more than one occasion. His control over his blood lust is magnificent. He could rival Carlisle as far as being in control.

As far as abilities are concerned, he really doesn't have one, or so he says. He explained to me one night on another visit that he gets information pretty much out of nowhere, kind of like Yoda. He has no smell at all so other vampires can't pick up on his presence. Anyway, I first ran into Peter at a football game between A&M and Nebraska. He was hanging out in a dark corner when I passed him the first time. I had caught a glimpse of his blazing red eyes but paid no mind to it at first because why would he hang out at a football game if he's already fed? I didn't talk to him at all on that first encounter but he did admit that he caught my scent and followed me for awhile, which turned out to be good since there were a bunch of thugs looking for a girl to hassle. I still have no idea what happened to those guys and Peter says that he'll never tell. I didn't meet Peter again until a chance encounter with him at Target, but I'll share that story later.

As soon as I get to his door, it opens up and I'm met with bright red eyes. His black hair hangs lazily over his face and he has an equally lazy smile. He's a tall guy of about six feet tall or so. He's very protective of me but he's not overbearing, like some particular vampires that I know. Anyway, my reason for visiting good ol' Peter is simply casual...at least, I think so. On my last visit, let's say things kind of...heated up. I still have a hickey on my back from that encounter but that, too, is another story for later.

"Hey, darlin'."

"Hi, Peter."

"Come on in."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: First order of business! I want to thank Kochabilka and 1tinac for helping me out with the story's continuity and for getting me some additional information on Peter. Plus, Kochabilka suggested a reference the 'vampires in a retail store' theme so thank you and I hope its up to par. If it sucks, I'm sorry. XD' There is a 'Golden Girls' reference in here. If you are a fan of the show, you have to read closely as it refers to a comment made by Rose Nylund in an episode.

As for the A&M and Nebraska game, they are my main teams to cheer for when I watch college football and, I can't believe I'm going to say this, A&M and Nebraska had played against each other one season, which led to Nebraska's upset. I'm a Husker fan. That game hurt to watch. :P

Another thing, you may notice that there's no acknowledgement of Bella and Peter becoming official. This acknowledgment is going to happen eventually. Chapters 1 through 5 have been updated so there have been some changes you may or may not be aware of. Thanks!

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Bella's POV

Peter's apartment is that of a typical student...messy and plenty of books and paper strewn about the place. He's got an X-Box and a huge (I don't know the precise dimensions) wide screen T.V. His furniture is all tan leather and nice lamps to boot. All the nice stuff reminds me of my chance encounter with him. I was doing my own shopping for my dormitory one evening at a local Super Target when the weather was cooler. I was passing the food section when I caught sight of a red-eyed Peter. Okay, that was probably the oddest sight to see. A vampire in a Target store? I truly thought they all shopped at Wal-Mart...at least, that was what Emmett had told me once upon a time. It was just so odd that I couldn't help saying:

"I thought vampires shopped at Wal-Mart."

I didn't realize that he had overheard me so when I got to the kitchen supplies to get stuff for my kitchen (I love to cook!), he was already there waiting for me. He was pretending to look at some kitchenware, like it was the most interesting stuff to look at, when I got down to his end of the aisle. I was just so focused on getting some proper equipment that when he finally spoke, I just about jumped out of my skin.

"Vampires shop at Target now. Did you know?"

"Um, no?"

"Now you know."

I was kind of terrified of him at first since he was clearly a vampire that drank from humans. He told me to relax even though I smelled rather good to him. He only drank from criminals and that he stopped a couple of guys at the A&M and Nebraska game from accosting me. I had asked him what had become of the bodies but he wouldn't tell me (and he still won't tell me). He just told me that they wouldn't be bothering me anymore and that I should keep my guard up next time when I'm at football games like that.

So, for the next couple of hours, we spent some of it shopping together for my dorm and then we just goofed off, making jokes about vampires in random retail stores, and making water balloons...with condoms that Peter stole from one of the aisles. We started throwing them at random customers before running away from the area. We kept this up for another half an hour before we finally checked out. No one could identify us, of course. Peter had made sure of that, but that was a really fun night that I had.

"So Peter," I say. "Been to Target lately?"

He just gives me a broad grin I shut the door behind me. He tells me no but that he had made a quick visit to Wal-Mart and caused some havoc by knocking down some of the displays over there and shooting water guns at the workers. I pout. I can't believe that I was left out of that one. Of course, he reminds me that I had a night class when he went but promises me that he'll take me along next time.

"So what brings you here?" He asks.

"Just a visit."

"Just a visit?"

He raises his eye brows at me. I blush as I realize what he's referring to. Last time I was here at his apartment, it had started out as nothing more as a casual visit between friends. However, it got a little bit more personal as the time went by. By the end of the night, though, we got a complaint from a grad student that are sex noises were way too loud and that we should tone it down. Then we got another complaint about an hour later about the same thing from an undergrad, except that they asked if we could send a sex tape to them. He got a door to the face as a response.

"You were one loud, little human." Peter says.

"I'm not the one who broke the bed."

It's true. He and I are intimate partners and when I was here last time, our...session was just so mind blowing (well, my partner IS a vampire after all) and hot that the bed broke. Peter tossed it out after I left his apartment and I got a lot of raised eyebrows that day.

"So I ask you again, Pete," I say. "Have you been to Target lately?"

"Wanna find out?"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I got a really...excited reviewer on my last chapter. Thank you for your enthusiasm! I'm glad you like this story! For the sake of everyone, I'm going to try my best to put up at least a chapter a day, if not every two or three days at the most. I have no idea where this next chapter is going to go so hang onto your hats and let's go! :D

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Bella's POV

Peter really did go to Target! He got himself a new bed and other stuff last week to replace the one he broke from a mind blowing...session that we had on my last visit here. I can still imagine all of the awed faces that I got when I left his apartment and let's just say that didn't have a shortage of dates for the next couple of months afterwards. I have to admit that I did get kind of loud this time around, though we didn't get any complaints this time. I was surprised about that but I'm more surprised at the fact that we didn't start smoking after having our weekend session. It was just that good. I shouldn't say it since I've never done it with Edward (and never will, thank you very much) but I'm sure that Peter would put the golden pansy to shame.

"Still one loud, little human." Peter says with a grin.

"Don't I know it."

We're just relaxing in the bedroom when Pete sits up on his side of the bed and starts sniffing the air. He gives a low growl before stalking off to the living room. I slip into one of his over sized shirts, which is more like a dress on me, and sneak into the hallway to see what he's up to. I stop short when I hear Alice's voice chiming in the doorway. My heart tightens when I listen to that lovely and familiar sound. I hate to say it but I missed her so much. Despite her 'Bella Barbie' sessions, she has been my best friend since the day I met her.

"Bella?"

Peter moves out of the way so I can get a glimpse of the pixie. As much as I wanted to run over and hug her, I couldn't bring myself to do it. She might have been my best friend but she ditched me and didn't say goodbye. My sadness over their abandonment of me quickly turns to anger. How dare she appear in my life again? I wanted nothing to do with any of the Cullen clan. My fantasy of becoming one of their own was shattered when they disappeared. How stupid am I? I only wanted to become a vampire because I wanted to be with Edward, but after realizing that they never really allowed me my own choices, staying human and staying away from them was for the best. My partner might be a vampire but he allows me to be my own person and doesn't try to force anything on me. He doesn't force me to have parties for my birthday (after I told him about that certain incident at the Cullen house) or force me to dress up in designer clothes.

"Designer clothes are like fancy handcuffs." He once told me.

He's right. Fancy designer clothes aren't my things to wear. I never did enjoy wearing what Alice made me, despite her good taste. I only wore the clothes she gave me because she was my dearest friend. I'm much more comfortable in a t-shirt and sweatpants. The only ones in the Cullen family who were truly honest were Jasper and Rosalie. They had made their sentiments about me very clear from the day that we met. They are the ones that I truly appreciate, aside from Carlisle and Esme, and I'll forever be grateful for their honesty.

"Alice. What brings you here?" I ask in a neutral tone.

"I never meant to hurt you." She says softly and quietly. "Leaving you was the hardest thing I've done."

I can believe it but I still don't understand why she couldn't stand up to her own brother. Edward is nothing more than a weak, a hundred and something year-old vampire with no concept of standing up for a so-called mate. If I had truly been his mate, he and I would have stayed together. He would have stayed and defended me, no matter the cost. My silly fantasies were just that...fantasies. I wish I would have realized that sooner. It hurts, yes, but I had the strength to scorn him and to walk away with what little dignity I had left and made a life for myself.

"You know, Alice," Peter says. "You could have defied your brother. That would have taught him that he can't have his way all the time."

Alice says nothing. This is completely unlike her, but she has a legitimate reason for this behavior. She knows that Peter is right.

"That's the problem. You enable your brother's behavior. He needs to learn from his mistakes."

Edward is very spoiled now that Peter's brought that point up. I hate to say it (and especially about the two most loving parents in existence) but they coddle him. They cater to his needs when they should have been teaching him emotional discipline. It's a hard truth to face, but it's there. It's something that shouldn't be denied. I sigh. I really don't want to do this but if this is how I'm going to get closure, I have to face not just Edward but the rest of the family as well. I want every last one of them to know what they gave up. At the same time, I'm glad that they walked away from me. If they hadn't, I wouldn't have blossomed into the person that I am today.

 _It takes something major to create change._

Alice sticks around for a couple of hours, telling him about how Jasper was doing and the like. She filled me in on how the rest of the family was faring. I was surprised that Rosalie was not acting like her self-centered self and Jasper...I never blamed Jasper for what happened that night and, yet, he feels so incredibly guilty for what has happened. If Alice hadn't talked him out of it, he would have certainly disappeared into the blue and without a trace. I feel so bad for Jasper. When I was pushed into the glass, he acted accordingly when my blood spilled all over the floor and that's just part of his nature.

"His control did get better after that awful incident."

"It never would have happened if you had just respected my wishes." I tell her. "I never wanted that party but you went ahead and threw it."

"And I'm sorry for it."

When the pixie finally takes her leave, she gives us a dazzling smile and says:

"You and Peter look so good together. I know he'll take care of you."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey, Kochabilka! PSYCHE! I couldn't wait to do another chapter so I went ahead with this one! Thanks again for the animal diet vs. human diet (plus your explanation on Singers). That helped me a lot! On to the story!

* * *

Bella's POV

I decided to skip classes for the day. Last night's encounter with Alice was emotionally draining, but not as draining when I ran into both Carlisle and Esme earlier this morning. It was hard not to go running into their arms but I was still a little bit angry with them for catering to Edward's needs. They both claimed that I was like a daughter to them. Hell, if I really was like a daughter to them then they would have done something different like...keeping me in the damned loop about what they were going to do with me.

Keeping my anger in check has become rather difficult now that I'm seeing members of the Cullen family now. All the pain and anger that I felt before I finally turned my back on Edward has come back at me twice as hard. It hurts. I thought I've shut all of my emotions out. I thought I was free from this family. Of course, fate had different plans and you can't fight fate. Well, fate has a morbid sense of humor. I've already run into Edward and Alice, plus these two, so who's next? I'm betting it's Jasper that I'm going to run into, knowing Jasper's and Peter's history. They were friends and brothers in arms during the war in the south. Those two haven't seen each other in so long so it's going to be natural for Jasper to come and see a friend.

I know I've said that I never blamed Jasper for what happened and I still don't. There have been days that I would imagine a reunion with Jasper so I could tel him that what happened at my birthday party was NOT his fault. He was only acting on instinct and that's part of his nature. Peter tells me that he never really approved of his going vegetarian. Vegetarians, he says, have less control over themselves. They are denying their true nature as vampires and their natural diet of human blood. Since they are denying their true diet, they are more tempted by human blood.

"That was Jasper's issue." Peter says.

It makes sense. Jasper had been denying his true diet for so long (and having recently turned vegetarian at the time) that once I hit the glass and my blood spilled, he snapped. He put so much pressure on himself that he was pretty much a ticking time bomb and it was just a matter of time before he finally let loose. So I guess the Cullens, when you put it in perspective, screwed themselves over with this whole vegetarian diet. Carlisle meant well when he started this whole animal blood diet thing with his family but it ultimately backfired for a member of the family. I guess the only reason Jasper was willing to try was because of his powers as an empath. Whenever he drained a victim, Peter tells me, Jasper would become depressed. He became so depressed that he finally broke away from his group and spent a number of years wandering around.

 _Poor Jasper._

I'm just sitting on my couch, thinking about what Peter told me, and not looking at any of my books when I get a knock at my door. The sun has since gone down and I figured that it was Alice, but it turns out to be Emmett...and Rosalie, to my utter surprise. Emmett, the big lug, lifts me off the floor and spins me around, exclaiming how much he missed his little sister. I couldn't help but grin at that. He goes around my apartment and gets into everything that he can get his nose into. Typical Emmett. I missed his humor and jokes, crude or not, and his cheerful nature in general. Rosalie is silent, of course, and her face is neutral and unreadable. I take no offence of this. It's just how she is. Too bad I didn't get that fact through my head early enough. It would have spared me a lot of grief.

"Did Alice tell you where I lived? Or did you hack some database?" I ask with a smirk.

"Bells, you know how we are."

"Ah, you hacked your way here."

"Yup!"

We all stand in my apartment for a couple of minutes without saying anything. It's killing me. Emmett is also blameless, for the most part, in his brother's decision to leave me. He was like a big, lovable brother that I never had and to lose him...I never realized how painful that was either, until now. Damn. I shouldn't be feeling this way, but they all left me. I take a deep breath and swallow all of my anger. Acting like an angry brat is not going to serve me well. It'll just make me look even more childish. Isn't that why I left Forks in the first place? To get away and grow?

"I didn't want to leave you behind, Bells, but we had to." Emmett says, breaking the silence.

"Because of your pansy brother, I know."

Unexpectedly, Rosalie snickers at my comment. I guess she agrees with my assessment of Edward. At least she and I agree on something for a change. Emmett and Rosalie stick around for a couple of hours, discussing what was going on in their own personal lives when I get another knock on the door. This time, it's Peter, along with Jasper. This is turning into quite an event, especially now that the two comrades have been reunited, and it feels kind of right. There's something else that's missing though...

"So Bells," Emmett starts. "When did you and Peter shack up?"

I'm about to give him a smart-ass answer when Edward, of all people, invites himself in. Great. Now he's going to start berating me for being reckless and stupid for getting involved with a red-eyed vampire. However, he actually keeps his mouth shut and stares at Peter. Oh crap. This is not going to end well. As much as I don't appreciate Edward for what he did to me, I don't condone killing. Edward makes the first move and lunges at Peter. Peter simply just steps off to the side and coolly dodges the lunge.

"Major," Peter says to Jasper. "You best keep an eye on your brother here. I don't want him to hurt Bella again."

"She's my mate." Edward growls. "She belongs with me."

Oh hell no! He starts to come at me but Peter steps in and snarls loudly and protectively, surprising every last vampire in the room before everyone starts to cool off. I'm assuming that's Jasper doing the work.

"She's my mate, little boy." Peter responds.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Wow! I didn't think I would get so many followers and reviews! Thank you so much, everyone! I'm glad everyone is liking it so far. You guys are the best! I am trying my hardest to get chapters out for you all. This is very encouraging! I might need a little help with the next chapter, though. I had a hard time getting this out as it is. I might end it with an eventual change and epilogue or throw in where something bad happens to Bella and she's forced to change anyway! I'm also thinking I should throw Jake in somewhere (hint, hint). Ideas are very much welcome! Another thank you to Kochabilka for your awesome definition on singers!

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Bella's POV

I'm not sure if I heard Peter correctly. I look towards Jasper and he simply nods. The two males are still snarling and growling...over me. Me, damn it! The old me would be petrified over this whole situation, praying to whatever god that would listen to me and spare both of the two but I'm no longer that little girl. Hell, the idea of having two guys fighting over me kind of gets me going, to be honest. I'm in heaven. My heart is practically soaring after Peter claimed me as his mate. Who would have thought? Oh wait...I smile as I think about a certain pixie. I have to shake my head for not seeing what she meant. It's so clear to me now.

 _So this is what Alice meant earlier._

She had seen this. She had seen that Peter would declare me as his mate and she actually supports it! That little pixie never ceases to amaze me. She's probably hopping and bouncing around in her perch like a woman on a sugar high. What can I say, though? You never bet against Alice. Now I understand the relationship that Peter and I share. Initially, we were just...what? Friends with benefits? I guess it would have been something like that, but it was deeper than just friends with benefits. Now, I know exactly what Peter and I share and the idea suits me just fine. The way he told Edward that I was his made me feel so good and so loved.

"Edward," I start.

He looks at me with hope...or, at least, what looks like hope. It's kind of hard to tell when Peter is still strangling him. If he had been human, his golden eyes would be bulging out of his sockets and he would have been killed for sure by that vampiric grip. I sigh. I suppose that being his singer put some wrong ideas into his head. Truth be told, I don't think he understands the truth about vampire mating, much less being taught about it...which is pretty obvious since he is a hundred and something year old vampire virgin. Also, Peter once cleared up my misconceptions about being a singer when I asked him about it. He explained to me that being a singer does not indicate of being a vampire's mate. Far from it, he said. Singers are just that...singers. Their blood 'sings' to the predator in question, like a siren...except the siren is the victim.

"I'd say to you that you need to get over me."

"Never...you're...my...mate."

"You're under a misconception." I tell him.

I give him the explanation of what being a singer is all about. It's not easy convincing a vampire that's over a hundred years old and especially one that's drawn to me for my blood. He was taught so many wrong things that it's practically drilled into his thick skull. Peter and Jasper are keeping him still because, and I can't believe I missed it, his eyes are a dull brown. They're nearly black from hunger. However, that doesn't keep me from telling the one thing that he's not going to like at all. I mean, during the time we were together, every time I did something without his knowing it, he would just throw a fit or scold me like a child. Look what happened in the forest. After that incident at my birthday party, he decided to walk away from me and tell me that I was nothing more than a distraction to him. He walked away. He didn't want the responsibility of taking care of me. He totally acted like a child.

"You need to grow the fuck up." I tell him firmly.

That set him off. Emmett had to step in and haul him out to find a hunting spot for him. The rest of the Cullens followed after him with the promise of a later visit once their pansy brother decided to cool down and behave. I was not expecting for everything to go down the way it did, but Edward was stupid enough to not feed before his unexpected visit. Stupidity at its very best, I tell Peter.

"Yes." He agrees.

Peter leans in and nuzzles into my neck, allowing a quiet purr to escape. The pull to him is irresistible. It's like gravity pulling me in and you can't fight gravity. This feels right. Why would I want to fight something that was clearly meant to be?


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: As soon as I say that I'm having trouble coming up with ideas, they all come flooding in! LOL. Gotta love Murphy's Law. Anyway, I'm glad for all the positive reviews and the help I've been receiving to making this story the way it is! Thank you all for that! Now on to the show! I've got a surprise for you all! :D

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Alice's POV

Good for Bella for standing up to my douche bag brother! Ugh. His moping brought down poor Jasper that he had to leave our apartment for awhile to go visit our sister. She might not be very forgiving at the moment, but she has opened up enough to listen and I'm fine with that. The confrontation between Bella and Edward had been important enough to solidify the relationship between her and Peter. I'm not sure about the closure, though. I won't be surprised that it helped her find it. She really needed it in order to get on with her life and start her true relationship with the nomad. I can see it now. Peter and Bella will be traveling everywhere together once she finishes school. She's still human in some of the visions that I have so her decision to not turn no longer surprises me. It's the next vision, though, that catches me off guard.

"No..."

In this vision, Bella can be seen driving to one of her night classes when she's hit head on by a drunk driver. I can see Peter rushing to the scene before the vision goes completely blank. Not dark, mind you, but blank. I'm being blinded and the only time that I'm blinded is when one of those filthy mutts are somewhere near me or a family member. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Edward since he lost control of himself over at Bella's place two days ago. Emmett and Jasper told me he ran towards the northwest and hadn't been back since. Jasper's been patrolling Bella's place for the last two days...under the guise of constant visits to his comrade. Peter had decided to stay with his mate until the semester was over. Once the semester was over, he was going to get her to move into his apartment.

"I don't like having that little boy running around somewhere unchecked." Peter had said.

I don't blame him in the least, considering I now know where my stupid brother is headed. He's headed to the Quilutes in La Push. Damn. Even though Peter hasn't taken a bite of Bella yet, I'm thinking that he's going to get the wolves involved. What an idiot. I can't believe that he's going to drag them into this. Is he that petty that he has to go all the way to Washington to tell them that a vampire had broken their laws? Clearly so. Bella's right. He really needs to grow the fuck up. I told him before this trip to Texas that we needed to shape up or ship out. He has done neither of those.

I hate to tell Carlisle about what his son is about to do, but it's necessary. We don't want to get an unwanted visit from the Volturi because Edward is being a total douche bag.

* * *

Peter's POV

So the golden pansy decided to go run to a bunch of smelly dogs up in the northwestern state. Wow. How childish of him. From what I understand, though, is that one of the mutts is Bella's best friend...or former best friend, I should say. He had been ignoring her for quite awhile before she finally decided that enough was enough and hit the road. Hm. If I ever meet the pup, I'm going to give him a beat down like nobody's business. The little darlin' deserves to be treated with respect, like a lady deserves to be treated with. Bella has a very loving and caring heart. To have it crushed by her alleged best friend had to be the cruelest thing to have experienced. The closest I've ever come to feeling that way was when I was still with Maria's group. Her cruelty to the newborn vampires just made me sick to the point that I decided to take a hike. She executed those innocent newborns without a second thought. They were nothing to her once they had outlived their usefulness to her. The feeling of knowing that innocent newborns were killed because of this still haunts me.

 _Ah, well..._

I'm not going to allow a bunch of mutts going to stop me. I just won't kill them, that's all. They might be our natural enemies but Bella wouldn't condone any unnecessary bloodshed if it can be prevented. Kill one and I won't get any for awhile. I know her far too well that she'll carry that threat out. Being a good boy isn't exactly easy but if I have to be good, it's going to be for her sake.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter with Peter's POV! I wanted to throw in something different so I hope you guys enjoyed the change in pace! Now, we introduce some other familiar faces. On to the show!

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Bella's POV

Seriously Edward? Are you that stupid to go all the way back to Forks and risk your neck by going to the wolves? Alice told me about his disappearance recently and her suspicion that he went back to see if he could get the wolves support. From what Jake had told me when I first arrived at Forks, the treaty only pertains to the Cullens. He never said anything about other vampires. Peter isn't a Cullen, thank goodness. Still, though, it would be a surprise if they did turn up here at College Station.

 _And that reminds me..._

If I'm correctly interpreting things, Jake was the one who broke the treaty first by telling me of their existence. Knowing Edward and his mind reading abilities, he's more than likely to take advantage of his lapse in judgement. Since Jake broke the rules first, then golden boy actually gets a free pass this time around. Well, crap. I'm just hoping that Jake has enough sense to see through his deception. He and I might have left on horrible terms but I'm praying that he's still on my side.

 _And that's another reminder._

Not only I have to call Jake, I have to call Charlie as well just to tell him that I'm doing fine and everything is going well. He was very supportive of me when I told him that I got accepted into Texas A&M. I didn't have to convince him at all to let me go and especially after what happened with Edward and the rest of the Cullens. I didn't tell him about what led to his abandoning me but Charlie's dislike for Edward made it easy for me to leave out the major details. I feel so bad for not being able to visit him like I should have but now this whole incident with Edward... _again..._ has left me unable to visit.

"Damn."

This is Edwards fault.

* * *

Jake's POV

Sam says that leaving Bella was for the best. It was the hardest decision that I ever had to make, but I felt like I had no choice. Since then, I haven't seen hide or hair of Bella. I visited Charlie and asked if she was planning a visit. He said to me that he hadn't heard from her for awhile and, so, he had no idea if she was ever coming back to Forks. I miss her a lot. If circumstances had been different, she would probably still be here in Forks and hanging out with me. This sucks so bad. I wish I could have been more of a friend to her. I wish I could...

"Jake, quit moping around!" Quill yells at me.

"I'm not moping around!"

At that moment, my senses kick in when I smell the god-awful scent of an oncoming vampire. The entire pack shifts and rushes to head off the leech. It's when we get to the border that we see who it is and, to my absolute disgust, it's that pansy who broke Bella's heart. I'm ready to tear him to pieces but Sam tells me to hold back. Ugh. I hate it when he tells me to stand down. It's hard to not listen when you have an alpha. I'm getting sick of this. I don't care if anyone hears me think that.

 _Cool it, Jake._ Seth says.

Sam takes charge of the conversation and demands why a bloodsucker would be on our lands. The answer?

"Bella's involved with a human-drinker."

 _Why am I not surprised?_ Leah growls.

"He intends to turn her."

 _So he comes to us?_ Quill wonders. _Why doesn't he take care of it himself?_

I have to agree. That is the weirdest thing for him to do...unless he wants retribution of some sort. Knowing him, that's probably what he wants. I swear, he's such a baby. He really needs to grow up and handle things himself. I'm glad Bella isn't with him anymore.

"I heard that, mutt. I'm here because this one is stronger than I."

 _I don't buy that._

 _Stand down, Jacob._ Sam orders.

Once the leech leaves, there's no order. Leah and Paul are freaking out about this and saying to Sam that she needs to be eliminated quickly. I'm not surprised at Leah. Leah had once dated Sam and she had been completely mad for him. However, when Sam phased for the first time when he encountered a vampire, he ended up imprinting on Leah's cousin, Emily. That did not end well, obviously. She constantly antagonizes everyone because of her bitterness. Paul is another vampire-hater so I'm not surprised at him either. Neither one really cared for Bella because of her affiliation with the leeches.

"We need to get rid the leech and the leech-lover!"

"She's pathetic. She goes to one leech to another. What a slut."

"Shut the fuck up, Leah!" I growl.

It almost comes to blows there when Sam tells us all to shut up and stand down. I tell Sam that I refuse to harm Bella just because her whiny ex-boyfriend couldn't take rejection very well. I take a hike and start for Charlie's house when Seth catches up with me. I kind of expected to be the only one in favor of protecting Bella.

"Shouldn't you be with the rest of the pack?"

"I like Bella and I don't want to see her hurt because of her jackass ex."

I snicker. Well, at least I have one ally.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Wow! Thank you all so much for your awesome reviews! I truly appreciate them. They encourage me to go on and revise if need be. You guys are fabulous. Major thanks to Kochabilka for your input. It helps with the continuity of the story! Onward to chapter 12! The next chapter might be on Sam's decision. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Jacob's POV

Seth convinced me to call Bella. I'm not sure why I let the little twerp get to me like that, but he says that she had the right to know and to tell her NOT to come to Forks. Whether she comes as a human or a vampire is no longer material. She'll be attacked one way or another and with or without Sam's final decision. We've all made our arguments, but now it's just a matter of waiting. In the meantime, I called Bella and she was already told about what happened with the golden pansy. I told her that the douche bag actually came to the reservation seeking some retribution.

 _"What a baby."_

"Tell me about it."

I tell her that the pack has split (unevenly, of course) and that Seth is the only other pack member that is against the whole thing. I know that Bella is quite fond of Seth and I guess I can see why. He's like the baby brother that we never had. He never judges anyone, no matter if they are human or not and I guess that's why he is quite likable. I'm about to tell her about Quil and Embry when those two come walking into the house. Like the rest of the pack, they raid the damn pantry, where Seth happens to be, and start eating.

 _"Did Sam make a decision, yet?"_ Bella asks.

"No."

We're silent for a couple of minutes before she says:

 _"I miss you a lot, Jake. I'm sorry I left things the way they were."_

"I miss you too, Bells. And I'm sorry, too..."

"I wanna talk to Bella!" Seth yells from the kitchen.

"Me, too!" Embry calls.

"And me!" Quil adds.

Quil always flirted with Bella when she was still around, so it's no surprise that he would want to talk to her. I just put the phone on speaker and let all three of them speak to her. There's no arguing with these lugs. Speaking of, I have to wonder what they're doing here. Last time, they seemed to follow the rest of the pack but here they are. Seth has already made his decision to help me protect Bella if it came down to it but these two...?

"So why are you two here? Come to talk me out of my decision?"

"Fuck no." Embry says. "Quite the opposite, man."

"I don't see why we should get involved with something that's way out there." Quil adds.

That's a very good point. I'm hoping Sam sees that reason. Why should he risk his pack against an unknown vampire? Not only the pack will be in potential danger, but the tribe will be as well. He has to weigh the pros and the cons of the situation at hand and I can only pray that he sees the idiocy of going all the way to Texas to eliminate one stupid vampire. Anyway, even if Bella did turn into a leech (with which I'm still not okay with, mind you, and never will), as long as she stays out of Washington, she and her new boyfriend should be okay. Of course, there's still the issue with Charlie...which I totally didn't think about until now. Now, that could easily be a problem for Bella. She won't be able to come to Washington for a visit but he could visit her. That's for her to figure out, though.

"Plus, I don't want to be away from Claire."

"Not to mention that Texas A&M is a SEC school versus a PAC-10."

"Don't you watch any other sport other than college football?"

Claire is Quil's rather young imprint and when I say rather young, I mean she's a toddler...only two years old as a matter of fact That caused quite a scandal in the beginning but wolves can be whatever they wish to be to their imprints, be it a brother, friend, or a lover. I've seen those two interact and, quite frankly, I'm kind of envious about it. Ah well...as long as I can still shift, I'm not going to pout about it. We never age while we still have the ability to shift into wolves and that is either seen as a gift or a curse. Depends on your point of view, I guess.

"When are we supposed to hear from Sam?" Embry asks.

You know what? That is a very good question.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry for not updating, guys! I needed to take a break and just work on something else for a little while. I'll try to work as much as I can on this story but I'm going to have breaks in between. Plus, I was having trouble getting something down for this chapter so it's going to be shorter than normal. I've decided to inject a little history in, which fans should be familiar with! Hope you guys enjoy it!

P.S I decided to go with the book version of the reason why Leah phased into a wolf.

* * *

Jacob's POV

Paul and Leah are majorly pissed so that means Bella should watch her back if she goes back to Forks to see Charlie. A week after our pack meeting, and a very long one at that, Sam finally made a decision regarding the situation. He found it quite ridiculous to travel all the way to the south just to eradicate a vampire and a vampire-to-be. Thank you, god! They aren't harming anyone in our area so what's the point in going all the way down south? If she's happy then she's happy. Sure, I won't like the fact that she'll become a human bloodsucker but since she's in Texas...well, at least she won't break the treaty. That's how Seth and I see it. The other half of the pack...not so much.

Quil is very much pleased with the outcome, seeing that he won't have to leave his young imprint behind and Embry is just Embry. We're all glad that everything worked out in her favor but that doesn't mean that we should lower our guards. For all I know, Paul and Leah could come and attack us out of the blue. I can see Paul doing that for sure but Leah is definitely a wild card. I won't be surprised if she did something like that. I know she was hoping that Sam would see the light and destroy the leech and the leech lover, as she so eloquently puts it, but it didn't work out. In her mind, that gives her another reason to resent the man. She's always looking for reasons to resent him.

Leah used to date Sam and they had been going strong (for three years, I believe) until Sam became a wolf. When he became a wolf, he imprinted on Emily Young...Leah's cousin. Yeah, that didn't go over so well with her considering those two had been very close since they were little girls. Ever since the day they broke up, she's been a bitter woman and that has not changed. I know it won't change, unless she finds an imprint of her own (I'm still not sure how that's going to work for her). She's a wolf, too. She's the first known female wolf in the history of the tribe and, from what I understand, the cause of her phasing was from getting into it with her mother over her mood swings. She got pissed, phased, and destroyed a couch...and sending her father, Harry Clearwater, into cardiac arrest-which was fatal. So you can imagine just how comfortable it is having her in our pack (note the sarcasm). Also, because of witnessing the incident, her little brother, Seth, phased as well.

 _Seth is so much easier to put up with._

Seth is definitely like the little brother I never had and he's fun to hang out and go cliff-diving with. Plus, he looks up to me. Quil and Embry, of course, have been my best friends since I can remember so to have them join up with Seth and me makes me really happy.

"So, what now, Jake?" Quil asks.

"Gonna call Bella?" Seth chimes in.

I really should give her a call. She deserves a bit of good news, but she still needs to watch her back. At this point, I don't trust Paul or Leah. If she comes up here, everyone needs to keep quiet...Charlie included. I'm not sure what I would say to him. Maybe I should tell him about possible tensions going on and we don't want Bella to be dragged into it. I don't know but I do know that we need to be on our toes.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hello again, readers! So we've come to the scene where Edward has finally gone over the edge and where Alice's vision has come to pass! What else can go wrong? Enjoy!

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Bella's POV

So I get a call from Jacob and he tells me that Sam decided that it wasn't worth the trip to Texas to come and rip one solitary vampire into bits. I'm glad. However, I am warned that I might not be able to head up to Forks because of Paul and Leah. I can see that. Those two are the most volatile out of the pack. It hurts that I might not be able to see Charlie but I might try to convince him to come down for a visit. It will definitely surprise him to know that I'm living with a guy...a guy who just happens to be a vampire-a vampire who drinks human blood. It'll make for a very awkward family reunion but Peter will be a charmer, like he always is, and win my dad over.

"Of course, I will, darlin'." He says. "Do you doubt my charming skills?"

"Never."

From my experience, I've learned to never doubt a vampire and especially one of the human-drinker variety. Sure, Peter is very much drawn to my blood but not so much as Edward was. Peter, being older and more experienced, is very well-disciplined (I suppose that was also working with The Major...AKA Jasper) and has excellent self-control over his blood lust. He might be a vampire to most and, by nature, that's what he is but I also see him as a man. Let me tell you, he's definitely a man with a need for a female companion. Just this morning before I was set to have class, Peter decided he would tie me to the bed (which has not broken, by the way, so no trips to Target...yet) and keep me there, with the excuse that I have been studying way too hard and that I needed to relax and de-stress myself. The de-stressing part I agreed with, I have to admit and the sex was even better.

"It was worth missing out on class." I told him.

"Told ya."

The day has passed by rather quickly and it's time to get ready for my evening class. Peter tells me to be careful on the road and to watch for whatever idiots that may be on the street. I should have taken his warning a little bit more seriously. The roads to my last class were clear but there was a car that was weaving in and out of the southbound lanes. The car crosses over into my lane and is barreling towards me...

* * *

Alice's POV

I'm not too sure what my idiot brother is up to, but I just had a vision of him heading over to the Volturi! What could he possibly be thinking? Jasper says it's more than likely that he's headed there because of Bella, who is still human. The Volturi don't like to hear of humans knowing about their existence. The fate of the human is either become one of them or death...the latter being the most common option in order to keep their secret. I can't believe Edward would stoop so low to this level. I fear he has become unhinged and Carlisle agrees with me about that.

"He's going to tell the Volturi about Bella's knowledge of us." I tell him.

Rosalie, who's nearby with Emmett, has no kind words to say. Usually her unkind words are directed at Bella but these word are twice as nasty and directed at Edward. Esme shushes her but I have to agree with my sister. Ever since Bella chose to remain human, my dear sister has softened towards our young brunette even though she refuses to admit it. I'm tempted to give her a hard time about it when Carlisle gets a phone call from Peter.

"What? Bella has been in an accident?"

 _You better get down here, Carlisle. She needs you._

NO!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Before I get started here, I had an interesting question from **1tinac** and I would like to address it here. You have a very valid question. First off, I would like to say that, in my mind, vampires are just as prone to mistakes as humans even though they're supposed to be perfect (not everyone will agree with this and I totally understand. Just my perspective on things and it's fan fiction). Plus, the Cullens have their hands full with the golden pansy, Edward, who has seems to come unhinged (or getting close to it, anyway, if he hasn't). Sure, Alice should have been paying closer attention to Bella because of her issue of being a magnet for trouble but when you have a brother that's on the brink, your brother is more of a priority than anything else, right? I'm not excusing Alice for this lapse in judgement but, to be fair, you tend to get a little distracted with family life.

Now, as far as continuity of the story goes, it might be a little sketchy-if not completely out of place-when you read it. I must admit, though, that when I wrote up the last chapter...I almost forgot about the car accident that I was going to write in! That definitely contributes to the strange continuity. I will fix it at a later date but, for now, I'm going to keep going. Thanks for your question 1tinac!

 **hauntedpumpkin56:** Good question! The answer to that one would be no (typically) but it wouldn't be a 'Twilight' story without the Volturi (you're welcome, Volturi fans) now would it? ;) Plus, I'm kind of intrigued by them so why not throw them in, no? Thanks for your question!

If there are any other questions you readers like to ask me, or feel like there's something that should be clarified, feel free to leave a review and I'll get back to it! Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Alice's POV

How could I have been so careless? I knew that this accident was going to happen and, yet, I overlook it altogether. It wouldn't be fair to blame Edward entirely for the mess as he didn't have a hand in this tragedy, but he has been a handful. My visions have been coming at me left and right that I barely can keep things straight. Poor Jasper...he's been working full-time in keeping the house from exploding from chaos. If he was human, he'd be dead tired...pun completely unintended. I can only hope for the best. While I pray that Bella keeps her humanity a little while longer, I'm also praying that she stays with us-even if it means turning her into a vampire. A recent vision shows her as a vampire with Peter nearby in the background drooling venom everywhere.

 _That's Peter, for you._

I'm sucked into another vision and this one shows Edward standing before the Volturi, speaking of the human that he had willingly allowed to find out about our secret. Why would he say that? Bella had figured it out on her own! Either way, Aro takes Edward's hand and remains perfectly still. You see, Aro has a similar ability as Edward's but his ability is limited to touch. He can read people's every single thought that has passed through their minds and this is definitely a dangerous gift but not as dangerous as Alec's and Jane's. Alec and Jane...the twins and some of the most dangerous vampires on the Volturi guard. Alec has the ability to immobilize and cut your senses off. His gift comes in the form of a black haze that often creeps towards the victim. As for Jane...I would not dare to be on the receiving end of her attack. She has the ability to create illusions of pain and that, alone, makes her a valuable asset to the Volturi.

 _This is not good._

Naturally, Aro makes an offer to Edward to join the guard. He has always been after him and me due to our gifts. If there is a particular vampire he is interested, he will go after them and, if need be, deploy the vampire, Chelsea, to bind them to the Volturi. Nothing is beneath him. Unfortunately, my vision comes to an end there and all I see is gray. That means a decision has yet to be made...which means Edward is actually debating! I try to call Edward on his cell phone but, of course, the idiot has it off! I could just kill him!

"Easy, Alice." Jasper says soothingly. "Don't upset yourself."

"Upset myself? Jazz, I just saw Edward at the Volturi telling him that he had willingly allowed a human into our secret. Aro made his typical offer to him and my vision went gray on me! How can I NOT be upset?"

"He's actually thinking about joining?"

"You and I need to make a trip to knock some sense into that douche. He's been very childish. We need to put a stop to this once and for all."

Jasper simply nods. I tell Esme about what I saw and of the undecided future. She's upset, of course, since Edward is her first adopted son out of the bunch of us but she understands what we need to do. She's going to stay here and wait for Carlisle with Emmett and Rosalie. We pack up and head out.

* * *

Bella's POV

Where am I? The world is so dark. I can't see anyone and I'm in so much pain. I can hear sirens and voices all around me. What happened? Someone tell me! I need to know where I am! Damn it! Where's Peter? I need him badly. I don't want to be here all alone. I can hardly move my body. It feels like something is crushing it. Something twisted and metal. I can feel something warm and wet fall down my face. Blood? I can taste the strange liquid on my tongue. How ironic. If I was a vampire, I'd lap it up and savor it. Of course, right now, I can't enjoy it nor do I wish to. I still get sick at the smell of it.

"Bella?" A familiar voice calls.

 _Who's there?_

I can't place the face of the voice but it's obviously male and there's an angelic quality to it. Perhaps he has come to take me to the afterlife. It would be much better than to deal with all the pain that I'm feeling. I want it to stop but I can't speak. What's happened to me? I'm trying to figure everything else out but nothing is coming to me. Then there's that searing pain in my neck and heat...oh, god, the heat is indescribable. I'm burning up!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hello again, readers! How are you all doing? Hope you guys are doing well. Before we begin, I just got a review, like five seconds ago (literally), from **Crystal07**. I will address it here. You are definitely entitled to your opinion! I understand why you feel that way because it would be somewhat more canon but that wasn't what I was going for when I first started writing this story. I wanted Bella to grow the hell up and stop allowing herself to be walked on by Edward and Alice (definitely those two). As for my idea, well, I just wanted to write something different. I confess, I'm not a big fan of the books or the movies and I decided that I would try my hand at "correcting" things (such as Bella's personality) that I felt that should have been addressed. Plus, Edward is such a pansy! I'm sorry but he is!

As for Bella falling for Peter...that was by request of my dear Kochabilka. If Kochabilka hadn't suggested the pairing, then this story would have remained as a one-shot...which was my original intention. Becoming a vampire, I just had to leave it to a human factor. Enough said. I really like where this new version is going, though and I'm glad that you seem to enjoy it as well! Thank you so much for your questions!

If you all have any other questions, feel free to ask them in a review or PM me and I'll be happy to address them here! Enjoy, everyone!

* * *

Bella's POV

I'm burning up! The heat is too much for me to handle! Somebody make it stop! I'm being incinerated! Will I turn into ash and blow away in the wind? The heat...it feels like I'm literally on fire. However, just as soon as the fire started, it stopped. A coolness has settled over me and it's a welcomed relief. When I wake up, I'm staring into a pair of worried red eyes and an equally worried pair of golden eyes. However, the first thing that hits me is an unimaginable thirst. It's horrible. A blood bag is thrust into my face and I instinctively bite into it, taking in that succulent liquid. I almost moan at the sweetness that is sliding down my throat. Hm. Funny how I loathed it as a human. I thought that quirk would carry over to my new life...new life?

"How do you feel, Bella?" Carlisle asks me gently.

Well, after drinking that beautiful red substance, I feel pretty damn good. My eyesight is sharp. I can see the tiniest of details that I couldn't see before when I was human. Smells are much sweeter (or smellier, depending on what you pick up) and my hearing is simply outstanding. I can hear footsteps from a far distance and sirens from police cars and ambulances. I can hear screaming and smell spilled blood from a distance as well. I'm surprised. I thought the change took at least three days. I look to Peter and Carlisle to help me understand what happened.

"You were in an accident. Hit head on by a drunk driver. Peter here changed you because you were losing a lot of blood."

"That you were, darlin'." Peter replies softly.

"And the change lasted, surprisingly, a day and a half."

Apparently, Carlisle and Peter got me out of the scene of the accident and then later told authorities that I managed to walk away without too much damage. Of course, that was a downright lie but I'm not going to make a big fuss over it. I stand up and, for once, I don't trip over myself. Heck, it seems that my transformation cured me of that and I'm okay with it. For now, I have to act normal because we're in the damn city. I'm grateful for Carlisle's presence. I've missed him a lot. Sure, I'm still angry with his decision to leave me behind. I was part of his family and a good parent would never leave one of their children behind. It's not fair. How could have done it? He's acting leader of the coven, damn it!

"Carlisle?"

"Hm?"

"How could you have left me behind so easily?"


	17. Personal Updates

Dear, readers.

I am very sorry for not updating for awhile. I have been trying to straighten out my finances and work schedule. My work schedule has been the primary issue here, not leaving me much time to work on my story. Today is my first day off in awhile and, yesterday, I found out that my hours have been cut back by nearly three hours. As a result of the cut-back, I decided to go back to school for a Masters Degree in IT Web Designs. I'm planning on starting this summer or next year. I want to get everything necessary for school together, including a resume. Plus, I have to get my driver's licence renewed before or on my twenty-sixth birthday, which is coming around in two weeks.

That being said...my updating may be affected (not that it hasn't been already) because of this turn of events. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get some more of my story done. I have an idea where I want to go with the next chapter but I would like to hear your ideas and thoughts on what you would like to see next. I was thinking about ending this story at twenty or twenty-five chapters but I'm going to let you guys throw some ideas out in the review boxes (or private message me, if you so wish).

Again, I am really sorry. Things just have been very, very weird and hectic. You guys have been very patient with me and I appreciate that very much! You guys are the best! Thanks so much!

~Silverwritinggoddess


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Dude! I had been planning to update the fan fic when I last left off but that clearly didn't happen. My work schedule didn't allow me to update. I'm on my feet eight hours a day and I'm usually exhausted when I come home. Now, I started grad school last week but I'm only taking one class and, plus, I told my supervisor that I needed the time so my schedule has relaxed. I'm pretty much on top of things right now, so I can get cracking on this baby again. Oh, yeah...I had a lot of followers since then so I definitely owe it all to you guys. I never thought this fan fic would be so popular so thank you very much! Let's get started, shall we? Pardon me if it's short. Updates will be infrequent unless I get the inspiration. ;)

* * *

Bella's POV

Carlisle just gives me a long, long look, as if he's contemplating his next words carefully. He's still a father-figure to me so I try to keep my cool. It still pains me to know that he just got up and walked away just like that. A father would never walk away from his child no matter the circumstances so what could have made him leave me behind? The Cullen Family treated me so well and accepted me into their fold. I need my answers. Carlisle finally gives in.

"We left because it was for your best interest." He says in that gentle lilt.

"My best interest?"

Why the hell does this sound so familiar to me? My father-figure nods his head and continues to give me his explanation. Ever since 'that' incident, he says, the entire family had struggled on what to do next. Of course, Edward had the solution. Please note the sarcasm. Edward, Edward, Edward. The genius of them all came up with the solution that the entire family should leave Forks entirely and never come around me again...that I deserved to be a human and not be turned into some horrible monster doomed to be damned.

 _'Sounds like Edward, alright. That asshole.'_

Edward will forever be a pansy and an eternal, seventeen-year-old virgin. Of course, out of respect for Carlisle, I don't say this out loud and I don't dare say that I found a real man (in terms of the word, mind you) in Peter. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have forever wallowed in pain over someone who was never truly my mate to begin with. Out of habit, I just huff. I'm tired of hearing how pathetically weak Edward is. From his perspective, I suppose he did care in his own weird way but he didn't stand by me like a true mate would. I know that Peter will stay by me through thick and thin. He won't shy away from any threats that come at us. Edward...well...

"I'm sorry for leaving. It was the worst decision ever made."

"How?"

I'm baffled by this. If it hadn't been for their leaving, I would never have garnered the strength to finally leave Forks. I would never have found my southern mate. Their leaving, as odd as it sounds, actually benefited me in various aspects of life. I tell this to Carlisle and he seems to get it. I tell him about my life up to being hit by a car. I'm nearly purring when I start to brag about Peter. Out of the corner of my eye, I can tell that he's trying to restrain himself from jumping on me. Ah, there's nothing like stirring up his inner fire (I can't really say blood now, can I? :P) and getting him turned on.

"He has been my rock, Carlisle." I tell him. "He's been everything to me."

"I have to thank you, Peter," He says. "For taking good care of her when I couldn't...when I should have."

Peter nods and grunts in response but says nothing. I'm glad. I can tell that he respects Carlisle a lot and that's a good sign. He might be angry about the whole situation but he seems to get why, although he very nearly came close to ripping the Golden Pansy to shreds. Never incite the wrath of a southern vampire. I giggle when Carlisle asks me about how I met Peter.

"Well, the story takes place at a local Target..."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Holy crap! I know I said this in my last post, but it's worth repeating. You guys are freaking amazing. All I had to do is post one chapter and I get a grand total (over two to three days) of over 2000 views. You guys are nuts and I love you for it! Kochabilka, I'm glad I listened to you and extended it. :P I'll try my best to post whenever I can. And now, after re-reading to catch up where I left off, I introduce to you, my dears, to the ranks of the Volturi. You're welcome! ;)

This chapter may or may not make sense but that's why I got you lovely readers to help me. You guys have wonderful ideas and interacting with you is fun! This chapter will be rather short but might play with it again later. Alright, I think that's all that I have to say for now! On to the show!

* * *

Third POV

Edward carefully approached his destination: Volterra. He wished that it didn't have to come to this, but in his mind, it was for the best. His Bella was no longer the Bella that he knew. The more logical part of his mind told him that he should accept that it was his fault for making her act the way she was now, but another part of his mind said (reckless and foolish as it was) to go to the Volturi. The Volturi could fix anything. It was a risky move to even come to Volterra but it was his last, and desperate, attempt to get back what was rightfully his. He had an idea, an idea that was partially undeveloped due to Aro's ability, that could possibly solve everything...including Peter's destruction. That in itself was a risky move due to Jasper's connection to Peter. If you pissed Jasper off, then you would face a much darker version of him...a version that is simply known as The Major.

The young vampire had made a mistake in the past in which it incurred The Major's wrath. It took nearly the entire coven to take him down and wait for Jasper to come back to the surface of his own mind. Edward's mistake had come about it a fit of rage during his separation with Bella. He had been verbally bashing Jasper for making him push Bella into shards of glass and those words brought The Major out. Truthfully, Edward would have accepted his death at his brother's hands if the family hadn't intervened.

 _Ah, well..._

If it meant joining the Volturi in order to get what he wanted, then so be it. Desperation and jealousy had driven him here to Volterra and he wasn't going to back out now. Besides, he could see two figures hiding beneath their black cloaks. They were waiting for him. He propelled himself forward to meet them. He walked at a hurried, human pace. The sun was still up and shining down upon the large crowd of humans. Their thoughts were filled with excitement and happiness...emotions that he was devoid of. Two girls went past him and giggled, their thoughts taking very inappropriate turns, but he paid them no mind. Nothing, but the undeveloped plan that he had, kept him from the fate that awaited him.

"Jane...Felix..."

The two silently beckoned him to follow, which Edward did without no hesitation.


	20. Chapter 20

I am really, really sorry for not updating this in forever. Grad school is now on hiatus due to financial reasons and just haven't had the inspiration to finish this story. My last three or four reviews (I have been reading them, don't worry) are encouraging me to continue to write this out and, damn it, I'm going to! So thank you for the encouragement! I love you all for it. Knowing that you all enjoy my story makes me feel good and I owe it to you that I should get this story done. To my latest reviewer...if I do add on some badass abilities, what would you like to see? Ideas are welcome! So without further ado...let's get back to Shape up or Ship Out!

By the way, this might be disjointed as I am trying to re-read what I have written. So reviewers, please help me out if you can! :P

* * *

Bella's POV:

Repeating the story of how I met Peter is worth it. It's really nice to be in the company of those who really did treasure the time we all had together. It feels really good to know that the entire family (with the exception of Rose, who has since changed her mind) didn't agree with Edward's decision. I might be a little angry yet but my anger has softened. I cannot bring myself to hate those who had abandoned me unwillingly. Peter has also been a great help to me as well. Ever since the Cullens turned up, he has been a pillar of support. He has been there to listen to me rant and rave with a patient ear. At the same time, he has been encouraging me to interact with them and see how everything would turn out. So far, everything has turned out to be really...great. I have a sense of normalcy again. Of course, this is a new normalcy. It is definitely not like before where they had to be careful and be alert. They don't have to worry about a human anymore.

 _Emmett can be as rough with me as he wants._

Emmett doesn't have to worry about crushing a fragile human. Ha! I actually bested him in a round of arm wrestling, much to his chagrin. It has been really fun messing around with him. He's definitely the fun-loving goofball that I remember and a really good brother that I never had. Peter is enjoying himself as well as he catches up with his brother in arms. I even let Alice play Bella Barbie with me. That's how badly I missed it all. It's a wonderful feeling to have a family that really cares about you.

I'm trying not to worry about Alice's vision but it's not easy. It's only a matter of time when Edward shows up with the Volturi. Alice, bless her heart, told me about her vision almost immediately. I was kind of surprised, at first, when she told me straight off the bat but she explained that since we were starting afresh as a family, it seemed only right that I should be told.

"After all, you are family."

"Thanks, Alice."

As far as planning goes, we've got a couple of vampires that Carlisle knows of to back us up just in case. For example, we have Charlotte and Garrett coming in for sure. We have the support of the Irish clan and the Egyptians as well. We're still rounding up help but we have enough for the time being. Alice has already advised the distant nomads to make their way towards Forks as her vision indicated the place of a potential confrontation with the Volturi.

"Not to worry, Darlin'." Peter says into my ear. "That's why we got The Major."

The Major with a capital 'T' and also known as Jasper's darker and wilder side. Jasper told me stories about those days and I have to hand it to him. He has more control over the beast than he thinks he does. Of course, the golden pansy that had once been his brother kind of downplayed it and made Jasper more of a monster. Sheesh. How dysfunctional can you get? Ah well...I'd say that beggars can't be choosers but Edward seems to have redefined that phrase, if you get where I'm going with that.

 _Now it's just a waiting game._

Of course, in the middle of that waiting game...I would come into a power that I hadn't been aware that I had.


	21. Chapter 21

Geez! I look at my stats and only after one update, I get almost three thousand hits! You guys must be really enjoying this story! I'm so glad you guys are! Thank you so much, everyone! Kochabilka, thank you for reminding me about the Denali clan. How can I forget such a clan, since Tanya is highly interested in the Golden Pansy (sorry Edward fans)? Shame on me. XD

I'm thinking this will end in the next couple chapters or so. Don't worry, though, folks. I'm thinking of starting another story continuing from where I may be leaving off. It depends if it all comes together correctly, of course, but I'm sure it will. As far as abilities are concerned, I really don't want Bella to be overpowered so for the sake of continuity, her main ability will be her shield. However, the mind control thing, I'm thinking, will be a secondary ability. That way she has an offensive ability and a defensive ability.

Let's get on with the show!

* * *

Bella's POV

Forks, WA.

I'm not exactly sure why I'm upset with Tanya, considering her clan is allied with ours and the rest of the Cullens. I'm guessing it's because I feel a little bit threatened with her presence even though I have no need to be. For heaven's sake, I have Peter. Peter is my mate and she knows it. When I met her the first time, I was still human and felt intimidated by her beauty and perfection. She was always curious why Edward was with such a lowly human in the first place. However, she was even more surprised when she saw that I was mated to another vampire. She didn't show it but I'm sure she was giddy about it...and that made me furious.

I guess my feelings towards her carried over to my new life. I asked Jasper about it and he said that my idea had some merit to it. Of course, her overly cheerful attitude and obvious lust over the pansy has been grating on my nerves. Jasper, on the other hand, had to leave the living room before, as Emmett put it, jumped Alice.

"Thanks for the info, Emmett."

Timing couldn't be any better. It's a holiday break at university and as a vacation-as I told some fellow classmates-we traveled back to Forks. I made a visit to Charlie and he was pleased. I was pleased to see that he was still well and in good health. Of course, Jacob happened to be there as well and greeted me...despite the god-awful smell that we gave off to each other. I also got to catch up with Seth, Quill and Embry as well. It was good to catch up with them. Of course, our meeting came with a price. Our presence became known to the rest of the wolves, which meant Sam had to remind us vampires about the treaty. We weren't included in the treaty, per se, but the warning to all vampires was there.

During our meeting, Leah decided to be stupid and lash out at me. It was during that attack that I discovered my first ability. Peter jumped out in front of me to defend me, along with Jacob and his small pack, but the sandy-colored wolf came to a sudden stop. It was like she hit some invisible force field. I'm almost sure Paul would have attacked as well but after seeing Leah being stopped in her tracks, he decided against it. Seth, to my surprise, actually stepped up and growled at his own sister and that caused her to back off completely. Carlisle stepped forward to promise that we weren't there to make trouble but to head off a confrontation of human blood-drinkers that were headed towards the area. Once Sam was informed of the situation at hand, he called off his pack but reminded us, nevertheless, of the consequences of breaking the treaty. Jake and his pack promised to back us up when the time came. That made me glad since we can use all of the back up we can.

Our fellow vampires, once Carlisle informed them of their presence, didn't feel comfortable at first but I managed to reassure them that this particular pack is very trustworthy and that we can rely on them for assistance. Peter spoke on their behalf as well and that solidified everything. What would I do without him? I'd be really lost, of course. He's not only my mate, but he is my best friend (next to Alice, of course) in the entire world.

"So Bella," Peter asks. "What was that you made back there?"

"Huh?"

"You made Leah stop in her tracks."

"I'm not sure."

"It was a shield. I'm sure of it."

The head of the Denali clan, Eleazar, has a knack of identifying talents among vampires. If I recall correctly, he used to be part of the Volturi for a period of time before leaving service. According to him, I apparently can create a shield. Now, it's a matter of learning how to manipulate it in the short time that we have. Tanya, heaven forbid, has taken it upon herself to be a trainer until the Amazons came. Jasper and Alice had gone to South America recently and came back with a positive answer. They would arrive in a few short days. In the meantime...

"Let's get started, Bella." She says cheerfully.

Oh lord.


	22. Chapter 22

Hello, everyone! Thanks for stopping by and reading my story! I think I will be stopping this story within the next two chapters and begin a sequel to this story! Yep! You heard right! Not sure if it will be as good as this one but it'll be fun writing it! I'm not sure what I'm going to call my next story but there will be a continuation! More Volturi and more pansy-I mean, Edward. XD I haven't done Peter's point of view in some time, so here you go! On to the show! Enjoy!

* * *

Peter's POV

My Bells has come a long way in a short time. She's been a newborn for hardly a week and her self-control is simply astounding. For a typical newborn, it would take quite sometime to gain some semblance of control. The control she's showing rivals that of a centuries-old vampire. In other words, she rivals Carlisle in that regard. Speaking of control, we all discovered her second ability during her training session with Tanya. I'm still trying to understand how this particular ability manifested itself. Bella doesn't really remember being mentally powerful as a human but that doesn't really mean anything. Unless she had some odd, latent, habit of willing things away and making them happen...

 _Bingo._

I reckon she wasn't aware of that and it makes sense. The manifestation of reality is a concept that very few people know about or want to know about. Most people think that certain events are simply coincidence while people of a higher spiritual level believe in their power of making things happen. It's not telekinesis or telepathy but it can be considered a psychic ability. It depends on one's point of view, mind you. Since I'm on the subject, I can't help but wonder about her uncanny ability of attracting creatures to her as a human. In spiritual terms, her aura must have been dark (no thanks to Cullen Jr.), thus attracting negative entities to her.

 _Makes sense to me._

Since she hasn't been cleansed, she'll still continue to attract negative entities towards her-i.e. the Volturi-unless she does something about it. Knowing Alice, she probably knows somebody who does that kind of stuff. As for me, I just know random crap. Anyway, her strange ability of manifesting a certain reality to come true apparently evolved into mind control. Eleazear has just confirmed it, too. Tanya is just standing there in front of Bella like a puppet awaiting her next command. It's very disturbing to see her just stand there with a glazed look in her eyes, but it's welcomed a silence from her overly cheerful...disposition.

"This ability could work in our favor." Charlotte says.

This is true but Bella has a kind heart. I suppose if she's forced to, she will resort to mind control, but she's still working with her shield. She and Tanya worked on it and her ability has improved massively. My Bells still has some work to do, of course, but she's got a hang of it. If it does come to blows (Alice hasn't seen anything of the nature...yet), her shield would keep us safe from the major threats, Jane and Alex. Chelsea is another one but I'm not as worried about her than the aforementioned vampires. One step at time, though.

"One step at a time, please."

"Peter," Garrett says. "You know we don't have much time. She needs to take command of her mind control as soon as she can."

"I guess you're right."

We definitely need to keep our guards up. So many things could happen now that Edward has gone to them. My nerves (or phantom nerves because I'm dead) disappear all of the sudden and I look towards Jasper.

"Cool it." Jasper orders.

"The Amazons and the Egyptian clan has arrived."

The more help we can get, the better.


	23. Chapter 23

Hello, again, everyone! Welcome to chapter twenty three! One or two chapters away from ending this story to start my next one. First off, traceybuie, you brought up a very valid point and as I was reading your review, I had a comment on a poem I wrote today on Google+. When you brought up the sexy and funny times as I read, an idea was born. I will make sure there are some sweet times in this story. It would have happened in chapter twenty four but I think this chapter is as good a time as any! You will see a sample of my poetry in action! Secondly, ideas for titles for my sequel are welcome! Thank you very much and to any other reviewers that might drop by! Enjoy!

By the way, you cannot use my poem without my permission! Thank you!

Oh, yeah, I threw in a Top Gun reference. :P

* * *

Bella's POV

Well, I finally figured out how to free Tanya from my mind control spell...much to my chagrin. I didn't have to deal with her hyper attitude when she was still under but, hey, I can't say too much. She did help me out after all with my training. Right now, I'm just sitting in one of the few guest rooms in the Cullen residence. I needed to get away and get sometime to myself. I blew off some of my nervous tension by writing a poem and, dear lord, I never thought how frustrated I was because it's romantic and erotic at the same time. Did I mention that I was never in the habit of writing poetry until now? I'm more into literature but writing poetry is surprisingly therapeutic.

 _I should call Peter in._

Before I actually call him in, he steps into the bedroom with me. This could not be a more perfect opportunity to show him what I wrote. I could use a little more time with him before our confrontation with the Volturi. Besides, it's been awhile since he and I had time to ourselves. Ever since my accident, per my usual human self, we haven't had time to be together. The Cullens came back into my life and everything with Edward spinning out of control...we had no time to ourselves at all. I purr when he hugs me from behind. I missed this feeling.

"What have you been up to?"

"Writing a poem. Wanna see?

 _Temptress_

 _I sit upon my throne_  
 _Gazing at the man before me_  
 _Desire burning, not hard to see_  
 _I eat a sweet and tease him with a moan_

 _The idea makes me grin_  
 _As I partake in delicious sin_  
 _I lick my lips_  
 _Along with my finger tips_

 _Temptation is a sin_  
 _I'm watching him not to give in_  
 _It's nice to have power_  
 _Never have to cower_

 _I beckon him to me_  
 _He comes quietly and calmly_  
 _I take a kiss from his lips_  
 _Drinking him in in little sips_

 _His control is slipping_  
 _His facade is tripping_  
 _Gone is his need to redress_  
 _No need to with a temptress_

"Very tempting, indeed." Peter says with a smirk.

Oh, how I missed that sexy smirk of his. It's only a matter of time that our clothes go flying off in at high speed movement because, you know, we're vampires and all. It's nice to taste his lips and taking a light nip here and there-with him reciprocating. I never had this with Edward. This was what I always wanted and the damn pansy never gave it to me. Well, to be fair, it's not easy being a sexually repressed vampire (one who happened to be a virgin for the last century or so). Ah well. That's definitely why I have a mate who's more than happy to give me what I want (and vice versa).

"Peter, you big stud, take me to bed or lose me forever."

"Too happy to oblige."

We're lost in each other for the next few hours.


	24. Chapter 24

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the story this far. We're just about done here! Thanks for following me and all of the wonderful reviews that you all gave me. Your reviews have been very helpful as I wrote. I don't think it would be this good if you guys didn't give me your input! I hope all of you keep reviewing and reading! I love you all for that. I should be able to get this done tonight! On to the show!

* * *

Bella's POV

Peter and I, after a good several rounds of sex, return to the living room. Emmett is just sitting there with a smirk on his face and I know he has a smart remark on his tongue. Thankfully, Rosalie smacks him across the back of his head and shuts him up. He's still a little sore from losing a round of arm wrestling so he's been trying hard to one-up me in other ways. I feel perfectly at ease. My nerves are calm and I'm cool and collected as I should be. We've faced a hoard of vampires before (well, the Cullens have) and this should be no different. Edward might be on their side but I have four things on mine: a family, a mate, mind control, and a shield.

"I think I have the shield thing down." I tell Alice.

"Of course." She replies. "You'll definitely master your mind control qui-"

She stops short as she's sucked into a vision. I've come to tell when she's in a vision as of late by reading her expressions. When she has that glazed look on her face, that's how I know and it feels really good to be able to tell that. When Edward was still around, he wouldn't tell me when Alice was having a vision. I always had to ask Alice herself about it. I hate being left in the dark. When she comes out of it, the frightened look on her lovely face tells a story.

"The Volturi has sent messengers."

"Messengers?"

"Alex, Jane, and Felix, no doubt." Jasper says.

Jane is Aro's pride and joy. I've seen what she can do and she's very dangerous. Alec, from what I understand, has the ability to cut off your senses and that makes him equally as dangerous as Jane. As for Felix, he's pretty much a strong arm. He has no ability to speak of but his size makes up for it. I can only assume Aro has sent them after me. Edward has probably told them about my then-human status. However, he doesn't know that I'm a vampire now and that is definitely my saving grace. Still, who knows what they have in mind?

"They'll be here shortly."

All of the present vampires became very alert. Esme has already called for the small wolf pack Jake has formed and their strong wet-dog smell comes really quick. I had to remind everyone that they are our allies and here to fight with us. I quickly explained to the boys why the Volturi was coming and they growled in turn when Edward's involvement was clear. Not a word was said when a knock on the door was heard. You could hear the proverbial pin drop to the floor. It's that silent in the living room. Carlisle and Esme go towards the door to answer it.

"Jane. Alec. Felix." Carlisle greets.

"Well," Jane says. "We weren't expecting such a large party."

"Just a gathering."

"So I see."

"We had a report about a human knowing about us. I'm sure you've dealt with it accordingly." Alec says. "However, we have to check."

Carlisle invites all three in. Peter holds my hand tightly in his.

"So you're Bella. Interesting." Jane says. "You've been turned already. I expected to find a human among the party."

"Edward has a tendency to...overreact." I say carefully.

"So we have learned."

I can feel Peter's need to protect me and his jealousy. Felix is giving me a very suggestive look and I can hear a very low growl coming from my mate.

"Well," Alec speaks up. "Seeing there is no violation of the law..."

"Just a minute, Alec." Jane interrupts. "I want to hear the story about Bella's transformation."

Great.


	25. Chapter 25

Last chapter, guys! Thank you so much for your support and your reviews! Hope to see you all and hear your ideas for my next story! I'm almost sorry to see this one end but I'm excited to see the next one started. Kochabilka, 1tinac and others who have constantly reviewed, thank you guys! You have helped me get through this. To my one guest reviewer who encouraged me to finish up (despite real life kicking my ass), thank you as well! I really needed to hear that! So here we go! On to the show!

By the way, a certain character will NOT be making a major appearance in this chapter. I should have made him the star of this chapter but it was way too easy...plus, I need to carry this story over to the next story. Ideas for titles are very welcomed!

* * *

Bella's POV

Great. I have no memory of that night, except waking up as a newborn vampire around my vampire family. Thankfully, Carlisle fills them in on the circumstances surrounding my transformation. Of course, I had to get hit by a car. I was still human and always got into some kind of trouble. I'm glad those days are gone now. I don't care what anyone says about it. Rosalie didn't approve of it but when she told me the story of her past that one day...well, I just don't have the heart to be really critical of her. She wanted to grow old and have children but that was all cruelly taken away from her by her rapist and murderer.

"I see." Jane says. "That was most unfortunate but our problem has been solved."

"Aro will still want to know about our newborn. Such control over herself." Felix observes.

Now I am a sideshow for these freaks. Of course, to be fair, I have heard that newborns are typically wild and dangerous due to their human blood still running in their systems. I've always been weird as a human and that weirdness obviously carried over to my immortal life. When I was still with Edward, I always thought something was wrong with me. I thought I was broken. The jackass allowed me to think that I was broken. He wanted me to depend on him. Once upon a time, I wanted to. I wanted him to be there for me and to be with him forever. How stupid can one get?

"What of her abilities?" Alec asks.

"That is a question for another time." Jane interjects. "For now, we will report back to Aro."

...

"That seemed too...strange." Peter says.

"Here I thought we would have a confrontation."

"I wouldn't rule that possibility out just yet." Carlisle says. "Aro knows of Alice's power and he might be playing on it."

Alice's visions are subjective. They are based by one's decisions so they are subject to change. If Aro decides not to send out the rest of his troops, for example, then her vision would change. If he changed his mind at the last possible minute, then Alice would not be able to see that and we would be completely blindsided-no pun intended. That's what Carlisle is worried about the most and I can't say that I blame him. I can't forget the fact that Edward went to them voluntarily and that brings me to another question...

"Why didn't Edward show himself?"

"I bet the little fucker was afraid." Emmett says.

"Language, Emmett." Esme warns.

I guess we'll be finding out soon enough.

...

Third POV

"Masters."

Jane, Alec, and Felix greet a trio of vampires standing before them. They are the 'kings' of Volterra, Italy and rulers of the vampire world. Off to the side stands a lone vampire with brownish-blonde hair and a pair of ruby eyes. Once upon a time, they were once a bright, honey color...indicative of a vegetarian diet. The owner of those eyes is now a willing servant of the Volturi.

"Ah, Jane."

A tall, slender vampire with hair black as night takes Jane's hand into his. This particular vampire is able to see every thought in one's mind. Unlike a certain Cullen, his ability is limited to a single touch. From what he has seen, a plan begins to formulate in his mind.

"It's seems, my dear brothers, the Cullens are expecting a confrontation. It's quite a large party."

"We should destroy them immediately, Aro, and be done with it." A blonde vampire replies.

"I would like to inspect the situation myself. There's no need for violence unless it's called for, brother."

"We will do what you feel should be done, Aro." A third voice chimes.

"Hmm..."

A decision is ultimately made to travel to Forks.


	26. Chapter 26

Hello, everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my story. I've been looking at all of your reviews and there's a few questions that need to be answered. I am more than happy to answer them. I think I will do this from now on so I can let everyone in on the questions! Let's get down to brass tax, shall we? I will kill two birds with one stone and answer christinahorse and Scififan33.

christinahorse and Scififan33: There is definitely going to be sequel to this story. If some of you realized this (as I just now realized it myself, ha) it kind of works it's way up to a familiar scene in "Breaking Dawn" but it'll be different.

ded1: Thanks for your review. I won't lie about that and that problem was compounded by the fact that I hadn't written this story in a while so it's definitely choppy for certain and I will re-work some of the story.

1tinac: Bella's power(s) includes mind control and being a shield. If you start back from Chapter 22, you'll find it. That chapter also includes an explanation of sorts as to why Bella seems to attract negative entities. Edward has gone to the Volturi in a radical attempt to get Bella back (and maybe a little payback)...The Cullen clan did travel back to Forks. Re-read chapter 21. The story is choppy because I haven't written in awhile and I will re-work it when I have the time.

tracybuie: I know I sent you a PM explaining why I didn't do a lemon but I'll explain it here. When I wrote another fan fic (a very radical version of Pride and Prejudice-which has since been deleted because I had too many trolls attacking me), somebody had asked me if I was a virgin in the reviews section rather through a PM. So I'm rather hesitant on doing stuff like that.

Much thanks to all of my other reviewers. Kochabilka, you are one of my top reviewers and your encouragement got me through this. All of you guys did! Thanks again and see you next time!

P.S: A HUNDRED REVIEWS! YEAH, BABY!


	27. Chapter 27

Ideas Needed, Please

I know I said I would do a sequel and I will do it. The problem is that I'm not sure how or where to start, therefore I might backtrack and do a little story about how Bella and Peter met. I'm definitely going to need everyone's help for this so all of your ideas are welcomed! Send me a PM or leave me a review here and I will get to you guys. In the meantime, I might re-introduce my Mafia Princess to the fan fiction world so if you like a Pride and Prejudice themed story, I hope to see you guys reading!

Anyway, I haven't forgotten my plan to do a sequel and I needed to let my loyal readers know about that! So thanks again for stopping by and your critiques are and will continue to be appreciated! 


	28. Tech Problems

Sorry for posting again, but I am unable to respond to incoming reviews. Every time I try to, I get a message that says that 'Invalid Message 3.' We cannot find the review you are replying to.' Is anybody else getting that message? Please let me know. I'll just answer any reviews here and update as more come in!

Kochabilka: I had been playing with that idea but unable to get it started so, consequently, I've been stalling and trying to get some more ideas.

GeezerWench: To answer your question to chapter 1...eventually, yeah it does happen. This was a little plot bunny I had back when I was first trying my hand at Twilight stories so you're probably going to run into a lot of rough spots in my story. I had let it slide for months at a time and just recently picked it back up so it needs some major work. I just wanted to get it done for those who were following the story.


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